Guide channel follower device



June 2, 1970 R. E. FOLTZ 3,514,805

GUIDE CHANNEL FOLLOWER DEVICE Filed Feb. 5, 1968 United States Patent3,514,805 GUIDE CHANNEL FOLLOWER DEVICE Robert E. Foltz, Sterling, Ill.,assignor to Lawrence Brothers, Inc., Sterling, Ill., a corporation ofIllinois Filed Feb. 5, 1968, Ser. No. 702,916 Int. Cl. Ed 13/02 US. Cl.16-90 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relatesto improvements in guide channel follower devices for use in associationwith the margin of a slidable panel, as for example the lower edge of adoor panel adapted to be shifted along a guide channel. An embodiment ofthe invention disclosed in this application consists of a plate-likefitting adapted to be fastened as by screw fasteners to the lower edgeof a door panel, the central portion of said plate-like fitting having abearing or bushing extending upwardly therefrom and insertable within acomplementary aperture of the lower margin of the panel. A shank memberis longitudinally slidable within the bearing, the outer or projectingportion of the shank supporting a follower member such as a roller.Encircling the shank and positioned between the roller and the platemember is a spring biased in compression so as to continually urge theroller downwardly, whereby to maintain continuous proper registration ofthe roller with the channel of a guideway or track.

It has heretofore been common practice in the manufacture of slidabledoor panels, to equip the bottom margins of such panels with a fittingwhich includes a follower member designed for registration with thechannel of a guide track on the floor. Fittings of the type justmentioned are satisfactory in instances where the distance be tween thebottom edge of the door panel and the guide channel is predetermined,and such space remains substantially constant as the panel is shiftedbetween open and closed positions. However, in many instances, thevertical dimension of the door panel and the height of the door openingmay vary to such an extent that when a conventional follower member issecured to the bottom edge of the door panel, imperfect registration ofthe follower member with the guide channel is experienced. Door panelsof the type referred to above are usually suspended from a track on theunderside of the door frame. Under such circumstances, there is apossibility that the lower edge of the door may not be properly spacedfrom the guide r channel in the floor to accommodate conventional,nonadjustable channel follower fittings.

It is therefore one of the important objects of the present invention toprovide a guide channel follower device for slidable panels such assuspended door panels whereby registration between a follower membercarried by the panel and a guide channel in the floor will bemaintained, even though the space between the lower edge of a suspendeddoor panel and the guide channel may vary.

More specifically, the invention contemplates a guide channel followerdevice in which the follower member is constantly and resiliently urgedin such a direction as to assure registration of the follower with aguide channel as the panel is shifted between open and closed position.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be more apparentfrom the following detailed description, when considered in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of hingedly-connected, accordion folding doorpanels of the type particularly adapted to accommodate a guide channelfollower device of the type contemplated by the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view takencentrally of a guide channel follower device of the type hereindescribed;

FIG. 3 is a vertical, sectional view taken substantially along the line33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 2,disclosing the guide channel follower device of the invention inassociation with a modified guide channel or track which projects abovethe plane of a floor; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective, exploded view of the various parts whichcomprise the guide channel follower means shown in the other figures.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, wherein like numerals havebeen employed to designate the similar parts throughout the variousviews, it will be seen that one embodiment of the invention consists ofa guide channel follower device designated generally by the numeral 10.From the description which follows, it will be clear that this device 10is attachable to the lower edge of a slidable panel such as aSlidably-suspended door panel 12. The plan view in FIG. 1 illustratesone type of slidable door panel arrangement, namely an accordionfoldable type, in which the lower edge of each panel is equipped with aguide channel follower device of the type designated by the numeral 10.This follower device cooperates with a floor track or guide channel 14.The door panels 12 are conventionally supported along their upper edgesby a suitable fitting or carriage not shown, which slides along a trackprovided in the upper structure of a door frame 16.

The channel follower device 10 includes follower support meansdesignated generally by the numeral 18. This follower support means .18includes a plate-like portion adapted to be secured to the bottom edgeof a panel by screw fasteners 22. A bearing or bushing member 24 forms apart of the follower support means 18 and extends upwardly from theplate 20. This bearing member 24 is preferably housed within a recess 26provided in the lower edge of the panel 12. Slidably accommodated by thebearing 24, is a pintle or shank means 28. The upper extremity of theshank 28 is preferably enlarged as by peening to prevent unauthorizedremoval of the shank from the bearing 24. The lower or projectingportlon of the shank 28 carries a guide roller or follower member 30.The lower extremity of the shank 28 is also peened so as to secure thefollower member 30 against unauthorized dislodgement from the shank.Encircling the shank 28, immediately above the follower member 30, is awasher or follower disc member 32. Both the disc member 32 and thefollower 30 are preferably formed of suitable plastic material such asnylon or the like, having the quality of self-lubrication. It will benoted that the disc 32 is .mounted intermediate the follower 30 and aflange 34, formed integral with the shank 28.

Interposed between the upper surface of the flange 34 and the undersideof the plate-like member 20 of the follower supporting means 18 is aresilient member in the form of a conically shaped coiled spring 35.This coiled spring 35 functions to continually urge the follower member30 and its associated disc or washer 32 into proper registration andengagement with the guide channel 14. The follower roller 30 and thefreely rotatable disc 32 may be shifted upwardly until the conicalcoiled spring 35 has been completely collapsed. The maximum degree towhich the roller follower member 30 may be shifted downwardly will bedetermined either by the engagement of a peened shoulder 36 at the upperextremity of the shank 28, or by the engagement of the underside of thedisc member 32 with the upper surface or surfaces of the channel member14. It is preferred to use a coil spring of the specific type shown inthe drawing, wherein the lowermost convolution of smallest diameterengage-s the flange 34 and the convolution at the opposite extremity ofthe spring of larger diameter engages the underside of the plate-likemember thus to react upwardly against the plate-like member 20 anddownwardly against the flange 34 and counter the weight of the suspendedpanels. By employing such a spring construction, each of theconvolutions may be telescopically accommodated by the next adjacentconvolution, assuming the form of a spiral, thereby affording themaximum extent of axial shifting of the pintle 28.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the guide channel followermeans contemplated by the present invention is so arranged that thefollower and its associated disc member 34 will be maintained inregistration engagement with the channel or guide track even though thespace between said track and the lower edge of the door panel may vary.In other words, the follower member is self-adjustable so as toaccommodate itself to various spacings between the lower edge of thedoor and the guide channel or track, within the limits determined, ofcourse, by the extent to which the shank 28 may be longitudinallyshifted. In FIG. 2, a guide channel 14 is shown in which the upper edgethereof is flush with the surface of the floor 38, whereas in FIG. 4, amodified channel 14a is disclosed which rests upon and projects somewhatabove the plane of the floor.

Other structural embodiments are contemplated by the present invention.Various materials other than the plastic material referred to above maybe used in the production of the disc 32 and associated follower roller30. It is, of course, desirable to reduce as much as possible thefriction resulting from the engagement of the washer 32 and roller 30with the guide track. Both the disc 32 and the roller 30 are freelyrotatable with respect to the shank 28, and hence are respectivelyreadily slidable along and rotatable within the guide track.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A guide channel follower device for use in association with the lowermargin of a slidable panel, as for example a door panel adapted to besuspended from above and to be shifted along a lower guide channel, saiddevice including follower supporting means for attachment to the bottomedge of a panel to be guided, said follower supporting means including abearing section for attachment to said lower panel edge, verticallydisposed shank means in said bearing section, a portion of said shankmeans projecting axially below said bearing section, a guide channelfollower member associated with the lower extremity of the projectingportion of said shank means, said follower member and shank beingrelatively axially shiftable with respect to said follower supportingmeans, and resilient means under compression biasing said followermember axially downwardly from 4 said supporting means whereby tomaintain registration of the follower member with a complementary guidechannel and reacting upwardly against the adjacent lower panel edge tocounter the weight of the suspended ,panel.

2. A guide channel follower device as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidfollower member includes a rotary element located in the vicinity of thefree lower extremity of said shank means.

3. A guide channel follower device as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidshank means is longitudinally shiftable within said bearing section.

4. A guide channel follower device as set forth in claim 1, whereinmeans in the nature of a disc is provided for limiting the extent towhich said follower member may be inserted within a complementary guidechannel.

5. A guide channel follower device as set forth in claim 1, wherein theguide channel follower member includes a rotatable self-lubricatingroller carried at the free lower extremity of said shank means, and arotatable self-lubricating disc member encircling said shank means andpresenting an annular guide track engaging surface.

6. In combination with the lower edge of a slidably suspended door paneland a guide track positioned adjacently beneath said lower edge, a guidechannel follower device including follower supporting means attached tosaid lower panel edge, said lower panel edge provided with an apertureextending upwardly therefrom, a bearing member mounted within saidaperture, a vertically disposed shank member in said bearing member andvertically shiftable with respect to said bearing member, a portion ofsaid shank member projecting axially below said bearing member, a guidechannel follower member associated with the lower extremity of saidprojecting shank portion, said follower member extending within andguided by said track, and resilient means under compression biasing saidfollower member axially downwardly whereby to maintain registrationthereof with said track and reacting upwardly against the adjacent lowerpanel edge to counter the weight of the suspended panel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,230,345 6/1917 Urmson -2062,577,884 12/1951 Garubo 160-206 XR 2,860,701 11/1958 Wood et al.

3,054,447 9/1962 Brydolf 160-206 3,221,804 12/1965 Rudnick 160-2063,233,657 2/1966 Kirby 160-206 3,285,324 11/1966 Stein et a1 160-206DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 160-206

